


The Wedding of the Season

by MarieKey



Category: Bridgerton (TV)
Genre: Canon Rewrite, DaphnePOV, F/M, Fluff and Angst, SimonPOV, Wedding Fluff, Wedding Night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:48:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28988046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarieKey/pseuds/MarieKey
Summary: Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, had been appearing to court since the night at Vauxhall. To outside eyes, the situation between them changed suddenly and Daphne shifted her attentions to Prince Friedrich of Prussia.  But then something, possibly something scandalous, occurred at Lady Trowbridge's ball, and to the surprise of the ton, a wedding would soon be planned for the the Duke and Daphne. It is to be the wedding of the season! ... although the bride and groom face obstacles unknown to any other members of society, both before the wedding and after.
Relationships: Daphne Bridgerton/Simon Basset
Comments: 22
Kudos: 89





	1. In the Trowbridge Gardens

**Author's Note:**

> This is a rewrite + new material of the Daphne-Simon scenes from mid-episode 4 to the end of episode 5. My motivations for this rewrite were first to give Daphne and Simon a happy wedding day instead of them both being consumed by anxiety and doubt when they exchanged vows.  
> Second, after Simon's comment about how easy he found it to talk to Daphne, I wanted them to regain their communication a little sooner. One of my nitpicks with the series is that there's not enough dialogue during most of the intimate moments and an inconsistency in sharing feelings. I felt like there were blanks to fill in, and I wanted them to discuss more between Daphne’s “I burn for you” and heading to the bed.  
> Third, there were a bunch of moments when I wanted to get inside the characters’ heads and their reactions to situations, one in particular in chapter 4 that makes me laugh.  
> I invented a couple scenes and also borrow a lot from the series, particularly in Chapter 1, which is close to the series in terms of events and dialogue, but with character POVs (plus I felt like Chapter 2 needed a prelude). In some places I changed the order of events or when dialogue was spoken, reaching in to show more relationship development.  
> Thanks for reading!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a contentious exchange, Simon and Daphne give in to their desires on the night of the Trowbridge Ball.

  
On the dance floor at Lady Trowbridge's ball, surrounded by the ladies and gentlemen of the ton, Daphne listened attentively as Prince Friedrich spoke and she readied herself to hear his proposal and accept it. But on the next spin a most unexpected sight caught her eye -- the Duke. She felt her heart race and her mind reel. Why had he come? Had he hoped to taunt her more? She had been on the precipice of accepting a proposal from a prince, but now thoughts of Simon filled her head. The dance swung Daphne's line of sight around again, and there Simon was again, flashing into her view, just as tall and handsome as ever. She was losing her breath and that necklace from the prince, what was had been called a breath-taking ornament was quite literally taking her breath away.

Prince Friedrich said, "And so, I find myself with one question left to ask. Miss Bridgerton -"

"I need a moment -- to refresh myself, your Highness."

She hurried away, buffeted by questions from ladies as she hastened toward the door, and colliding into the shrillness that was Cressida Cowper. Outside, Daphne struggled to breathe in air and get the noose of a necklace off her throat. She finally managed to remove the necklace and hungrily gulped in the cool night air. And then, like a dagger into her soul, she heard, "Miss Bridgerton" in that richly timbred voice she heard she had heard so many times her ears and almost as many in her dreams.

She turned and faced the duke, "What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving London."

"I was. I am. I came to say goodbye."

"To whom?"

"To you."

"Your goodbye is wholly unnecessary. We never were friends, as you made abundantly clear," as Daphne felt the emotional wound he had dealt her.

"And I am sorry for saying that--"

"Please, do not apologize. I shall not be led once more by you from this direction to that. You are my friend. You are not my friend. You are a rake. You are not a rake. You are sorry --"

"I am sorry."

"That is very well, but you should know that your apology has absolutely no effect on my life, nor will your leaving London. I am marrying the Prince. I shall be very happy, indeed."

"Will you be? Happy?" he asked, being as direct as he could manage in the moment. He longed to tell her how much he wanted her, needed her, but he would not allow himself.

"Why would I not be? Prince Friedrich is kind and adoring, and he knows what he wants. He is a good man, and he will make a wonderful father."

"So you truly think him the best man for you?"

"How dare you question my choices! They are my choices to make, not yours. I do not question your choice to rake across the continent, forlorn and alone,” although, of course, in truth, she did question it.

Simon held his gaze at Daphne but said nothing in reply. How could he account for his rejection of her? What could he say that could possibly convey his desperate need to see her again? He searched for words but none came to him.

"I do not have to explain myself to you. You made it plain you wanted nothing more to do with me. I do not owe you anything. He is perfect for me. I am going to be a princess!" Daphne declared with a defiant stomp. 

Still the duke remained silent, "Are you going to say anything?" Daphne demanded. Why had he come to torture her with his presence? He did not want her. What was his purpose? He stood there saying nothing, only staring at her with a gaze that seared her soul.

"Well, then leave!" she almost hissed in frustration at him. He remained motionless, voiceless, only his breathing tensely and gazing at her. 

"Very well," Daphne huffed in exasperation and scurried off into the garden.

Simon, called to her, "Miss Bridgerton," three times, struggling to get out the words as she turned and headed into the garden.

He could not let her go, "Come back to the party. Stop walking"

"Stop following me," she snapped.

"It is not safe out here." She was driving him absolutely mad now. "I forbid you to go any further." Why would she not be sensible?

"You cannot tell me what to do." If it were possible to feel more vexed at another human being, Daphne could not imagine it. He had rejected her most cruelly, stared at her and distracted her from the prince at the boxing match, and now surprises her this evening only to question her and then say nothing.

With his long strides, he quickly caught up to her, "Daphne, will you not listen?" and with that he grabbed her arm and spun her around. He took in the sight of her staring back at him, and what was it he saw in her eyes? She was startled, clearly, but could it be desire? Her lips, those lips he dreamt of so often, looked so ripe for his own, and he held himself back no longer. He pulled her close and kissed her, feeling heat coursing through his body. Her lips felt even better than he had imagined, but this was madness! He could not give in to a lady he would not marry. He pulled away from her, and with his voice gentle and contrite he said, "my most sincere apologies.” Daphne looked up at him with eyes wide and breathing hard. "I ... I..." he tried to form words but could not manage any.

And then, as with the force of the strongest magnet, Daphne pulled him toward her, kissing him passionately, and he did not hesitate, kissing her deeply and giving in his desire to pull her close to him and caress the curves of her body and feel the warmth and softness of her skin. He had dreamt of this embrace almost since the night they met, and this was truly a dream come true.

For her part, Daphne felt more alive than she ever had. That kiss awakened her body and she felt her whole form yearning for him. When he had said, "My most sincere apologies," she knew he meant that what he had done was improper, but she did not care about propriety in this moment. Her only care was for him and feeling his kiss again. She reached up to his face and in an instant guided his mouth to hers. Simon returned her impassioned kiss and then his kisses moved down her neck and his hands explored her body eagerly, as she moaned, "Simon, I want you."

Simon could scarcely believe his ears, her affections are for him, not the prince. "She wants me," he thought, and all thoughts of vows to his father vanished as he felt loved by a woman for the first time.

"Oh, Daphne" Simon breathed.

To the couple, locked in a passionate embrace in the garden, no one else existed in the world, but reality soon intruded in the form of Anthony Bridgerton as he exclaimed, "Bastard!" at Simon and knocked the startled Duke back with a punch square to his jaw. "Anthony!" Daphne exclaimed.

Knocked out of the blissful reverie with Daphne and back to his senses by Anthony's blows, Simon's happiness vanished and he faced the reality of what had transpired. What had he done? How had he allowed himself to give in to his desire for her?

Anthony commanded Simon to marry Daphne. "What?" Daphne responded, clearly shocked by her eldest brother's directive. Simon, though, did not seem surprised when he responded that he could not marry her. He could not doom Daphne to the misery of life together. He could not give her dream of children. He was wholly unfit to be a husband, was he not? No, he could not do that. He would rather die than be the source of her unhappiness.

And with an apology to Daphne, the duel with Anthony was set and Anthony hurried Daphne out of the garden through the party and to the Bridgerton carriage.

*****

At sunrise, after the duel was halted by Daphne's declaration that she and Simon would wed, Simon gave up his protests and agreed to marry her, even though he knew he was taking away Daphne’s dream of having a family. He then set about making plans with Anthony for a wedding within days. He would try to put out of his head what would follow, what it would mean to be Daphne's husband, and how he might scarcely hope to be the source of her happiness or at least limit her unhappiness, trapped in marriage to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots borrowed from the show for this chapter to set up what follows.


	2. Alone in a Drawing Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To everyone's great relief Daphne and Simon have obtained a special license to wed, but why is there still such tension between them? Daphne is determined to resolve the situation before their wedding.

The hastily devised plan for a wedding had gone awry when the archbishop of Canterbury said that he would not grant a special license for them to wed within days, but with Lady Danbury's guidance and a tense audience with the queen, saved by Simon’s professions of admiration for Daphne and his desire to marry her, the special license had been secured. So relieved that the audience with the queen had succeeded, Violet invited both the duke and his godmother to dinner again that evening. Simon began to answer, "Thank you Lady Bridgerton, but --." However, Lady Danbury cut him off and answered for them, looking at Simon directly rather than Violet and said, "I will be overjoyed to dine with your new family this evening, Your Grace, as I am sure you will be as well." Simon wished to decline, to be able to delay Daphne's gaze for another evening at least, but Lady Danbury had that look of steel in her eyes. Simon nodded an gave a small smile. "Yes, I look forward to it."

At dinner, Simon and Daphne were seated next to each other, and again and again she tried to initiate conversation. She attempted to engage him in talk of the plans for the wedding party – the food, the wine, and then about the village near Clyvedon, even the weather, but Daphne's frustration grew as Simon only answered briefly each time and sat stiffly. Had not Simon told the queen that he found conversation with Daphne easy? They were due to marry the next morning and he would not chat with her beyond voicing his approval of the dessert.

Daphne could stand it no longer, and determined to take control over her life, she quickly devised a plan. She abandoned her dessert and asked to be excused from the table, remarking that she had much to do before the wedding, and wishing the guests good night. On her way from the dining room, however, she paused at her brother Benedict and in a whisper asked him a favor: after dinner, ask to speak to the duke in the drawing room, tell him you have an important matter you wish to discuss with him. Benedict gave a nod, and with that, Daphne herself went to the drawing room.

After several minutes passed, the door to the drawing room opened and she heard the duke say, "What is your concern, Mr. Bridgerton?" In reply, Benedict said, "My concern is there" and nodded toward the interior of the room. The duke turned to see Daphne rising from her seat. With that, Benedict turned and departed, closing the door behind him but standing watch to prevent intrusions.

"Daphne, I have much to attend to before the wedding. I cannot stay, and it is not proper for us to be alone now."

"Simon, I know something is troubling you, and we must address it before we are to be married." She stood and walked toward him and feeling the pain of the distance that had appeared between them this past week said. "I understand you do not wish to see me, that you prefer to act as a stranger to me --"

"Daphne, that is not as I would prefer, but I cannot --"

"For the past two days you have been avoiding my presence, Simon."

"In order to allow you your liberty."

"You've said all but a few words to me."

"In order to keep myself from saying the wrong things."

"Simon, you have barely been able to look me in the eye."

"Because I could not bear witness to the misery I have caused you."

Daphne could not believe her ears. The duke had an understanding of the situation that was entirely the opposite of her own. "You did not... I am the one who trapped you into this marriage."

"I trapped you." he insisted.

"No, Simon," Daphne attempted to interrupt, but the duke had found his voice and continued to speak with nary a breath, as he paced around the room, keeping his distance from her.

"I have spent the last two days in agony, unable to talk to you, unable to be alone with you because I knew you wanted nothing to do with me."

"Simon, that is not--" she attempted to protest, but he again seemed consumed with his lament and did not acknowledge her words.

"And understandably so, after forcing you to make an unimaginable choice. You wanted a life with children, a family. You wanted a life with a man you truly knew. You wanted a love match"

Daphne felt so taken aback. Was he saying that he did not love her at all? That he would not love her?

"Simon, I do not understand how - "

Simon felt consumed with his frustrations. He was on the verge of marrying the woman of his dreams, dreams he had never imagined before he had met her, but whatever passion she had felt for him in the garden those few nights ago, he knew that she could not be happy to be marrying him. His angst overwhelmed him and he snapped at her, "I do not know how to make myself more clear."

"Simon, do not get angry. We must -"

"I am not angry. I -- "

Daphne felt desperate to correct all of Simon's misapprehensions, but he looked almost like a wild man now. She had wanted this time with Simon to resolve whatever was vexing him, but she was now succeeding in making him upset. She must calm him first and then address all of his errors.

"You look angry and bothered. Look at you, you are downright flushed." Why was he reacting in such a manner? She would understand if he were pained, but why had he become so fiery?

"Yes, that is what happens --"

"When one is angry" Daphne replied, desperate for him to recognize his feeling so that she could help calm him.

And with that, Simon lost his composure and let his voice rise, oblivious to the many other inhabitants of Bridgerton House, and stepping toward her, almost looming above her, as he released the words:

"When one burns for someone who does not feel the same!"

Daphne could scarcely believe her ears. Simon had told the queen that Daphne was his best friend, he had called her beautiful, and said that she brings him joy. That was all wonderful to hear, but that had not told her of a burning for her. In their passionate embrace in the garden she had only known her own feelings of yearning for him and could not be certain that the duke had felt as she had. She had feared it was only a bodily passion he felt, only rakish behavior. She had not let herself believe that he truly returned her affections.

"You … burn for me?" Daphne breathed in a voice barely above a whisper.

Simon shook his head in exasperation. "Why do you think I followed you into the garden?"

Daphne stared into the duke's eyes and held his gaze, "Why do you think I went into that garden?" She could not see his heart leap in the moment, but he could feel it, pounding within his chest.

"If you would have only looked at me these past couple days for longer than two seconds, you would have seen: I made my choice. It is you I cannot sacrifice." and with that, she returned his profession of love: "I burn for you."

Suddenly, so many of Simon's misapprehensions vanished. Daphne, this beautiful angel before him, felt as he did and returned his affections. He stepped to close the distance between them, at once filled with a new confidence and burning anticipation, and put his arms around her and drew her up into his embrace, softly kissing her waiting lips. They kissed again and again, standing in the Bridgerton drawing room, Simon pulling Daphne toward him with his hands on the small of her back and Daphne holding on to his strong shoulders. The wild, unbridled passion that fueled their embrace in the garden was now replaced by the gentle kisses of requited love.

Simon pulled back just enough to speak and tell his bride words he had never before spoken, "Daphne, you have created feeling in my heart that I have never known, that I did not know was possible."

Daphne felt tears of joy well in her eyes, and one fell when she blinked. Simon gently wiped it off her cheek. "Simon, you have owned my affections for longer than even I knew. I never could have imagined such a happy turn of events to our ruse."

The couple could hear voices outside the door but paid them no attention.

Holding her close to him, Simon smiled, that smile that had become reserved only for her and the joy she created within him. He agreed with his bride, "It would seem we fooled ourselves far more than we did Lady Whistledown or any member of the ton." Daphne laughed a girlish giggle and he pulled her back into a kiss, this time journeying from her lips to her neck in a trail of little kisses, leading down to her collarbone, and the sensation was of tantalizing anticipation for them both.

"Daphne! Dearest! Are you in the drawing room?" Violet Bridgerton's voice interrupted the engaged couple's bliss.

Daphne pulled away from Simon and caught her breath. "Yes, Mama, one moment."

The night would now end for them but not before Simon gave her three final kisses, the first on her hand, then her forehead, and finally her rose-pink lips, and then promising, "I will see you at the church, my dear duchess."

"I look forward to it, my dear duke," Daphne beamed in reply, and with that, she opened the drawing room door and quickly spirited her mother away, distracting her with questions about the wedding party before Violet could ask about what Daphne had been doing in the drawing room. Simon then slipped out, with a quick nod to Benedict who had remained faithfully at the door, and he felt as if transported on air as he walked to his carriage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I borrowed dialogue from the scene at the inn and moved it to before the wedding to give Simon and Daphne a happy wedding. 
> 
> I chose Benedict as the brother Daphne would ask for help because she knew he'd be discrete and wouldn't ask questions (unlike Anthony) and based on the seating arrangement from the first time Simon was invited for dinner where Colin would have been seated next to Daphne and thus, easier for Simon to observe her talking to him. EDITED TO ADD: Upon rewatch I see I was wrong about the seating, but I'll still keep Benedict in that role. 
> 
> Different stresses await them after the church.


	3. The Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Hastings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a most unusual courtship and engagement, the Duke of Hastings and Daphne Bridgerton have reached their wedding day. It promises to be a day of love and happiness but also fears, questions, and confusion.

With their true feelings revealed and the uncertainty of each's affections removed, Daphne and Simon basked in their joy, as they each headed to the church. Today after so long pretending to court, separating, and then finding their way back to one another in a most unconventional manner, they would finally be joined as man and wife. But as much as the prospect of the wedding thrilled them, they both also felt a jumble of nerves at their wedding ceremony as they anticipated all that was to follow from the wedding. They were each glad that only Daphne's family, missing sister Francesca, and Lady Danbury, and Will and his wife Alice attended. Had there been more in attendance the butterflies of nerves they felt would have surely felt more like flocks of birds in their bellies.

The ceremony proceeded perfectly with the two lovers gazing deeply into each other's each any time that they could turn and face one another. When Simon slid the dainty pearl-adorned ring onto Daphne's finger, it was all he could do to keep himself from kissing her then and there. As the archbishop pronounced that they were "man and wife," they became the Duke and Duchess of Hastings evermore.

Simon and Daphne were to depart the church together in his carriage to Bridgerton House for the wedding party. When he entered the carriage, he found her seated with the train of her wedding gown placed carefully next to her on the seat, leaving no room for him. "You must forgive my vanity, your Grace, but I wish to keep the handiwork of my gown from pleating before the guests see it at our wedding party."

"Not at all, my dear. It is a lovely garment, though not near as lovely as its inhabitant," causing her to blush. So he sat across from her, rather than next to her, and his longing to hold her in his arms would have to wait.

What Simon did not know was the apprehension that had begun to dominate Daphne's thoughts now that they were officially man and wife. She would not be able to delay the marital act forever, but as wonderful and exhilarating as Simon's kisses felt, the evaporation of her fears about his affections had allowed air for her fears of becoming a wife. So much uncertainty filled her thoughts and what was destined to follow the wedding party filled her with trepidation. She had been told she had been prepared to become a wife, but she felt without a clue now that she was, and what if all that advice had been for most husbands but would not suit Simon? How was she to act as a wife and most particularly his wife? Would Simon's bodily impediment prevent them from doing whatever it was that most couples do? Would it be strange and indeed might it even be unpleasant, a necessary chore like getting the knots brushed from one's hair? She felt flushed just thinking about the question.

Simon still held doubts about his prospects as a husband and he shared some of Daphne's concern about consummating their marriage. Although he understood all the mechanics of the act from his now-former rakish exploits, he had never bedded a virginal woman and more importantly, he had never laid down with a woman he loved because, quite simply, he had never loved a woman before Daphne. She was not a brothel girl to gain an hour's pleasure and then be forgotten. While he had desired other women before, it was never like this. Then it was only for their physical charms, simple carnal lust, but now his head and his heart joined his body in his desire for this woman, a woman innocent of such relations. He would need to guide her and was determined to find a way to do so that would be the best possible experience for her.

The remainder of the carriage ride passed with light conversation about the party - reminders of who would be on the guest list that they must be sure to greet, Simon's questions about the menu, Daphne's jokes about what fun Gregory and Hyacinth would have at the excitement of the wedding party and her disappointment at Francesca’s absence, and Simon's noting to Daphne that their marriage must relieve some of the tension in the Bridgerton household, with no one now in a rush to marry, "especially Anthony," he added.

The wedding party proceeded splendidly with the most delicious food and lovely music playing and the presence of so many of the ton's society sharing in their celebration and offering their hearty congratulations to the couple of the season. At one moment well into the party, Daphne found herself face to face with the most intimidating personage on this earth, the queen herself.

Daphne performed a deep curtsey and said, “Your Majesty, I must say I am honored and quite grateful for your presence.”

Queen Charlotte replied, “And I may say I hope you made the right choice. Well, either way, I suppose you will enjoy your wedding night, at the very least."

Daphne was struck by the queen's comment about enjoying her wedding night. It felt so confusing, like a barb or laced with condescension. Did she mean to imply marital relations? Daphne felt her cheeks flush as Simon strode over and asked her, "are you quite well, my dear?"

"I ... I ... I just need a moment. Excuse me, Your Grace."

Simon stood in confusion as he saw Daphne leave the party, ascending the grand stairway of Bridgerton House, to go to the privacy of what was for now still her bedchamber.

Daphne closed her door behind her and tears began to fill in her eyes. What did the Queen intend about their wedding night? What would happen tonight between her and Simon? Indeed, what could happen? How will Simon's condition make their marriage different than others? She felt so overwhelmed at all the uncertainties that lay ahead. She would leave her family house. She would be duchess and face so many expectations. But weighing on her most of all, she is now a wife, and she found herself feeling utterly afraid of what her wifely duties entailed. Her nerves were stealing the happiness she had felt not long prior.

After a minute, Violet burst into the room, "Dearest! Whatever has you so distressed? Are you unwell?"

Daphne's words were punctuated by sobs, "Mama, I am so frightened. I do not know how to act as a wife."

Violet sat next to her eldest daughter and cradled her in her arms, rubbing her back to calm her. "What has brought this on?"

Following several deep breaths, Daphne related her encounter with the queen and the queen's remark about enjoying her wedding night.

"My darling girl, you mustn't be afraid." She paused to consider what to say, "I think, perhaps, our queen, in her own way, was encouraging you." Daphne furrowed her brow in confusion and her mother continued. "While she may have been stung by your choice of the duke over her nephew, I believe she meant to say that a wedding night is a joyous occasion."

"Mama, you must tell me. What will happen? I cannot be so naïve."

Although Violet and the late viscount had enjoyed blissful and enthusiastic marital relations, she had always felt embarrassed at the prospect of explaining intimate acts between a man and wife to one of her innocent daughters. Sadly, she had avoided it too long, and now she had no choice but to tell Daphne what would await her that night.

Violet stopped and started a few times, failing to get out a full thought.

Daphne furrowed her brow and asked, “If it is this difficult to discuss, how difficult must it be to perform?”

“It is not dearest. It is most natural. Much as the way the rain soaks a field in autumn, and in spring, flowers grow.”

Violet saw the look of confusion clouding her daughter’s face and knew that what she had said had not been sufficient.

"Do you remember when you were younger, we had two hounds in the country?"

Daphne Bridgerton, now Daphne Basset, replied with a smile, "Bassets, in fact."

“Well, no one explained it to them, but there were puppies.”

Daphne looked at her quizzically. "The Duke and I are not dogs, Mama. But you are saying that the marital act is performed to have children?

Violet seemed relieved and said, “yes! It can.” to her daughter.

“But what do a husband and wife do in the act of marital relations?"

"Oh, very well, I suppose I've put this conversation off as long as I can." said Violet avoiding eye contact. "A husband and wife retire to their bedchamber and they... well, typically, they would disrobe and lay in the bed together."

“They simply lay together?”

Violet anxiously pondered what else to say. How much more must she say? She felt mortified having to put those intimate actions into words. She inhaled deeply to get out what she hoped would be her remaining words on the topic out in only one breath, while staring at the carpet.

"The husband places his… uh … spindle… inside of his wife's womb, and the joining of their bodies is the act of marital relations."

Daphne's memory flashed to the neoclassical artworks she had seen on visits to the galleries of Somerset House: statues and paintings of men in undress, and she flushed as her mind was drawn to between their legs and the strange small organs between them. How could such a little thing go inside of her? Her cheeks burned with embarrassment and confusion.

"But Mama, how is the husband's" but she was interrupted by a knock on the door. It was Rose telling her that the carriage was being readied and Daphne needed to return to the party and join her husband to wish guests adieu before they themselves departed.

"I'm so glad we had this talk, dearest." said Violet hastily, and with that, Daphne, very little more informed than ten minutes prior, took several deep breaths and returned to the party to stand next to her husband and thank their guests for attending. Following a flurry of activity, Daphne found herself outside, the Hastings carriage waiting, saying her goodbyes to her mama and her four brothers and two sisters, and then departing Bridgerton House with her new husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cut out the conversation between Daphne and Anthony because although I love all the sibling dynamics, I wanted Daphne to feel overwhelmed from the queen’s remark about the wedding night in particular.
> 
> I borrowed dialogue from the series, episode 5, but made Violet a tiny bit more informative.


	4. A Wedding Night at the Inn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The newly married Duke and Duchess of Hastings have departed their wedding celebration and are headed to their honeymoon at Clyvedon, but it would be too long a journey to arrive before nightfall. They would need to spend their wedding night at an inn.

The carriage ride to the inn was long and often bumpy. Daphne and Simon sat together, snuggled up with her head on his shoulder and his arm around her. They both slept much of the way, Daphne more than Simon. The excitement of the past few days had been exhausting on both their nerves and bodies as emotions had run high and sleep had run low.

Finally arriving at the inn, the innkeeper directed Daphne into a room and then said to Simon, "Your room, your Grace, is just over here."

Daphne rounded on her heels and looked at him. "Your Grace, we are to have separate rooms?"

"I made the reservations 2 days ago.” He quickly explained.  
  
“I see.”  
  
“Would you like some privacy to refresh yourself and I will join you in half an hour’s time?”

“Yes, that would do well.” And with that, Simon gave her a quick warm smile before departing to the other room.  
  


Daphne refreshed herself from their travels and then spent quite a few minutes fretting in indecision: was she meant to change out of this gown and into pieces from her trousseau that Madame Delacroix had made for her? If only Rose were here to advise her what to wear. She decided to remain in her traveling dress in case Simon would like them to go down to dinner. For her part, she did not think she could eat a bite.

A knock came at her door and she did not hear Simon’s voice as she had expected but instead, one of the inn staff, asking, “Your Grace, we have dinner for you. May we enter?”  
  
Daphne was confused but approved their entry, and two of the inn staff entered with trays in their hands. “Do you mean to say that the Duke is eating in his room?”  
  
“No, your Grace, this dinner is for the both of you. His Grace instructed us to bring a light meal to this room and said that he would join you shortly.” Daphne watched as the staff set the small table including service for two and a bottle of wine and two glasses, and to the side they placed a tin. When they had finished setting the table, the men each gave her a small bow and left the room.

A minute later, another rap at the door, this time accompanied by Simon’s voice, “May I enter, your Grace.”

“Yes, you may, your Grace.” And with that, Simon entered and presented Daphne a rose that had likely been plucked from a vase downstairs. She accepted it and breathed in its fragrance. He leaned down and gave her a kiss on her cheek.

“I hope you do not mind about the dinner here rather than downstairs. I took the liberty of thinking that after our long journey, you would be more comfortable with some privacy rather than dining with other guests.”

Daphne gave a small contented smile to her husband, “You are so considerate, Simon.” He may have been a rake in his past, but she had seen the goodness of his heart so many times, in small gestures and grander. The two of them sat and enjoyed the dinner, although Daphne truly could not eat much, aware of the nerves of anticipation for what would happen next.

Simon rose and repositioned his chair next to hers and then sat, taking her left hand in his right, and raised his glass, “I should like to make a toast: to my beautiful bride, my diamond. Since our first meeting, you have dominated my thoughts. From the mornings you ease to the evenings you quiet, to the dreams you inhabit, I am yours, Daphne. I have always been yours. At long last you are mine.” And he ended with a kiss on her wedding ring. Daphne felt almost overcome with feeling but managed to reply, “I am truly yours.” They each took a sip of wine, as one must for any toast, and then Simon leaned in and kissed his wife softly on her lips and then a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“Ah, I almost forgot! I asked the staff at Bridgerton House to pack up a slice of wedding cake for us to share,” and he opened the tin to reveal cake wrapped in paper. With a playful gleam in his eye, he broke off a small chunk of cake and asked, “would you like some?” Daphne nodded and Simon lifted the piece to her waiting mouth. “Mmm, it is delicious. Would you like some, my dear?” returning his playfulness but feeling almost breathless at the same time.

“Oh, yes.” He said with a voice dripping with desire for her, although he would like some cake as well.

And so his wife copied his actions and placed a small piece between his beautiful lips, “Mmm, that may be near the best thing I’ve tasted today.” He resisted kissing her fingers, reminding himself to proceed slowly with his new wife.

  
“What did you like better, my dear?” she asked truly innocently.

“The taste of your lips” and he leaned in for another kiss, this time longer and deeper than the last. Daphne eagerly responded but then pulled back: “Simon, I must confess something to you.”

“Is something troubling you?”

Her eyes cast down, too embarrassed to meet his eyes, “I wish to be a good wife to you, but I am completely innocent aside from our kisses and embraces. I know almost nothing of marital relations … I am frightened that I will not please you.”  
  
“My darling Daphne, I confess that I have had some fears too. I want our wedding night to be the best night of your life and want nothing more than for you to find our time together to your liking. I promise to guide you and to help you enjoy our time together… Shall we sit a while?” and he led her over to a small couch near the fire, and they sat, hands clasped together and Daphne felt more at ease as they chatted and laughed about their favorite memories of their most unusual courtship. After Simon commented how charmed he was by her hearty laughter during her introduction to Prince Friedrich, she replied, “I cannot help it, Simon. You elicit reactions from me that I can scarcely control.” Simon then relaxed his own control and leaned in for a kiss, beginning softly but deepening as he felt Daphne reciprocate and pull him closer. His kisses made their way to her earlobe with a tender tug and then down her neck and along her collarbone.

“Simon” she said breathlessly, “what are you doing?”

"Do you want me to stop?" and asking again, looking her in the eye, “Do you want me to stop?”

She grasped the shoulders of his shirt sleeves and shook her head.

"I want to show you more."

“More?”

“I promise to be gentle with you. Will you trust me?”

She breathed in tremulously and said, “I do. I trust you, Simon.”

He kissed her again and then stood, taking her hand to join him. They kissed again while he reached around her and unbuttoned her dress, letting it fall to the floor. He took in the beauty of her form, her petite, perfectly proportioned shape, and kissed her again. Then he gently turned her and set about unlacing her corset while he kissed her neck. She felt a tingling all over her body but most at her core, a warmth spreading inside her.

Simon then unbuttoned her pantaloons and helped her slip out of her stockings and she trembled at the feeling of his hands as they ran along each leg. She was now without a stitch and both their attention turned to his garments. She reached to help him unbutton his waistcoat, but he was faster and more assured unbuttoning it. Their eyes remained fixed on one another as he removed his suspenders, untied and removed his cravat, and pulled his shirt from his trousers and raised it over his head.

Daphne breathed in deeply at the sight of his broad muscular chest and beautiful, warm brown skin. She put her hand on his chest, and they kissed again, feeling each other’s warmth as their bodies met. Simon then guided his bride over to the bed and laid her gently down, kissing her softly before asking, “Did you touch yourself, like we talked about?” He wanted to know what sensations she might have experienced before tonight.

She nodded with wide eyes looking up at him.

“Show me” he asked.  
  
“I cannot,” she demurred with such self-consciousness, and so he took his new wife's hand, guiding it between them, and helping her fingers to caress herself as he touched her warmth and wetness for the first time. Daphne’s breaths grew sharper, and he asked her, “Tell me what you thought about when you touched yourself.”

She began to answer, “I thought about” but she lost her breath in a shock of tingles. When she regained it, she said, “Simon, I need you closer” and pulled him into a kiss.

He would happily oblige her desire to be closer as he had already exercised more control than he thought possible for the intensity of his arousal for her. He left the bed and stood. Daphne watched in awe as Simon unbuttoned his trousers and let them fall to the floor. What she saw centered at the top of his legs almost seemed to stare back at her, and it was not the small feature of the sculptures she imagined that had made her wonder how it would make its way inside her womb. No, it was large, almost impossibly large and extended toward her. So much so that she wondered if it would be too large to fit inside of her. She let out a small gasp, but when she looked up at Simon's eyes, she saw them filled with love and kindness and desire for her.

He returned to the bed, parting her legs and laying gently atop her. In a whisper he told her, "This may hurt a moment." She nodded and he guided his way inside of her. Her brow furrowed in a wince and she pressed her lips together; there was a little pain, but yet it felt natural just as her mama had said it would. He was in her now and felt the elation of being with her, exquisitely chambered inside her. He stayed mindful to be gentle and although a look of astonishment remained on her face, her body determined how to respond to his, with her hands holding on to the lowest part of his back and moving her hips with his, and the pleasure grew for both of them.

Daphne felt almost consumed by sensation, burning no longer only for him but with him now. She barely managed words he had hoped to hear: “I thought of you. I always think of you when I touch myself.” Hearing her speak of her desire for him excited him toward his completion and he was barely able to pull himself away in time to finish on the sheet rather than inside of her. His breath heaved in his release, but he promptly turned his attention back to his wife who lay staring up at the ceiling in amazement at what had just occurred. Simon slid his near arm under her pillow and embraced her with the other, “How do you feel?” he asked.

  
“I feel… wonderful” she replied and turned to kiss him.  
  


“As do I, my darling.” They kissed and fell asleep wrapped in an embrace, dreaming of each other, no longer dreams of an imagined union but happy new dreams secure in each other’s arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This follows up on Chapter 2 where they revealed their true feelings before their wedding and then Chapter 3 at their wedding. So they're both nervous but happy. I made their time at the inn start out more like a date with flirting and foreplay before headed to bed. I borrowed dialogue from the series but had already used a lot of the inn dialogue in Chapter 2. 
> 
> I've read about 19th c. newlywed young women running screaming from the room when they see a naked man for the first time on their wedding night. I made Daphne confused about male anatomy in Chapter 3, and then here in Chapter 4, she was in for a big - but very welcome - surprise!


End file.
